New Research Finds: Dogs Feel No Shame Despite The Sad Look!

The next time you start shaking your finger, get mad and start shouting “Shame on you!” because your dog chewed up your favorite comfortable slippers or your furniture, just remember that no matter how guilty your dog looks, it doesn’t know what your rant is about.

Behaviorists insist dogs lack shame. The guilty look — head cowered, ears back, eyes droopy — is a reaction to the tantrum you are throwing now over the damage they did hours earlier.

“Just get over it and remind yourself not to put temptation in the way next time,” said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, a professor at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and executive director of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

Pascale Lemire the creator of the popular website Dogshaming.com and author of the book titled “Dog Shaming” Said: “I don’t think dogs actually feel shame, “I think they know how to placate us with this sad puppy-dog look that makes us think they’re ashamed of what they’ve done. My guess is that their thinking is: ‘Oh man, my owner is super mad about something, but I don’t know what, but he seems to calm down when I give him the sad face, so let’s try that again.'”